Generally, just the words “gestational diabetes” strike fear into the hearts of pregnant women everywhere. Most women are afraid and extremely cautious about their diets, to the point where they may even miss out on some of the joys of pregnancy. There are also those, however, that take the opposite stance. While gestational diabetes may not be anything to worry about terribly, it is a condition that requires thought and proper treatment.

Uncontrolled blood sugar can be very dangerous to both mother and baby. A gestational diabetic that ignores her condition and continues to eat a poor diet can put herself and her pregnancy at risk.[Read more…]

Some people eat three meals a day and stop there. Others prefer to graze throughout the day. Most doctors recommend that five to six small meals be eaten during the day, or three meals with small snacks in between. This is especially recommended for gestational diabetes pregnancies, which is good news for snackers.

Snacking is good for you, especially when you are working to keep your blood sugar levels stabilized throughout the day. Unfortunately, you can’t just eat whatever you want whenever you want. You need to know how to snack smart and healthy.

Here are some solutions for gestational diabetes snacking:[Read more…]

For many women, the process of getting tested for gestational diabetes ranks as one of the more stressful events in their pregnancies. After all, most of what most people hear about gestational diabetes is scary. Add to that the fact that most people know little to nothing about gestational diabetes, and the unknown can be terrifying. Just the words “gestational diabetes” is enough to send shivers down soon to be mother’s spines.

If you are worried about getting tested for gestational diabetes, relax. Information is the key to understanding, and that is exactly what you need to help relieve your fears about what comes next on this crazy journey.

Here are some facts about gestational diabetes testing:

Everyone Gets Tested

Every woman gets tested for gestational diabetes during her pregnancy. No matter your weight, medical history, or age, your doctor will have you tested for gestational diabetes. This is because any woman could potentially have gestational diabetes, no matter if she has every risk factor or none at all. It is for the safety of you and your unborn child.

Although every woman does get tested, there are some risk factors that can make certain women more likely to have gestational diabetes. Some of these risk factors include: being overweight, previous gestational diabetes pregnancies, previously having a large baby, and age. These risk factors make it a little more likely that you may have gestational diabetes, but do not mean you absolutely will. You can also have gestational diabetes if you have no risk factors, which is why everyone gets tested.

Gestational Diabetes Is No One’s Fault

Even if you have every risk factor, you are not guaranteed to get gestational diabetes. If you do, it is not your fault. Gestational diabetes is not something that you can cause, and there is no real way to prevent it. Remember, even women who are exceptionally healthy and have no risk factors can and do have gestational diabetes. All you can do is be as healthy as you can and follow your doctor’s orders.

Testing Is Easy

In the grand scheme of things, testing for gestational diabetes is relatively easy and not as scary as it might sound. You simply have to drink a glucose solution, and then have your blood drawn one hour later. Some doctors will ask you to fast before the test; others will simply recommend that you do not eat any carbs before the test.

There Are Two Rounds of Testing

If you do not pass the first round of glucose testing, there will be a second test. A large number of women who do not pass the first round of testing actually go on to pass the second round. The second round is similar to the first, but the glucose solution is stronger and your blood will be drawn three times in one hour increments.

Getting tested for gestational diabetes may seem daunting, but it is a lot less scary than many people think. Just remember to relax and know that you are going in armed with the knowledge of what it means to be tested for gestational diabetes. After all, it is all in the name of growing your healthy baby.

At first glance, a gestational diabetes diet can seem boring and unfulfilled. Such a strict diet seems easier said than done, especially when you are combating pregnancy cravings at every turn. The health of yourself and your unborn baby rely on you to make smart diet choices, however, so you may benefit from a few tricks to maintain a healthy pregnancy diet for gestational diabetes.

Eat Regularly

The first and perhaps most important tip on this list is to make sure you are eating regularly. Most doctors recommend that pregnant women, especially those with gestational diabetes, eat multiple small meals throughout the day. Regularly eating this way will help you to maintain energy, avoid morning sickness, and also keep your blood sugar levels stabilized throughout the day. It will also keep you from the obvious problem of getting too hungry. After all, if you allow yourself to get too hungry you are more likely to make poor dietary decisions. For best results, eat lots of fresh vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and lean protein. [Read more…]

Morning sickness is a common and unfortunate side of pregnancy. Not only is it off putting and seriously uncomfortable, the name itself is deceptive. While some women are lucky enough to only have “morning” sickness in the morning, it is actually pretty normal for the feeling to last all day and at varying degrees of severity. Some women only deal with a little bit of nausea; others battle with violent bouts of illness. No two women or two pregnancies are exactly the same, but the majority of women deal with morning sickness at some point in their pregnancies.

Gestational diabetes, unfortunately, can further complicate the issue of morning sickness. Erratic blood sugar levels can make nausea worse, as well as create other symptoms to add to your discomfort. There is also the added stress of eating the right things and eating often enough, which can be complicated when you have morning sickness or food aversions.

Here are some tips to help you manage your morning sickness with gestational diabetes:[Read more…]